Rochdale Muslims celebrate birthday of the Prophet Mohammad

Rochdale Muslims celebrate birth of Prophet Mohammed

Rochdale’s Muslim communities paraded the streets of Rochdale town centre on Tuesday (20 November) to mark the birthday of the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad.

Tuesday 20 November 2018 coincided with the 12th of The First Spring 1440 – the Islamic month in which the Prophet of Islam, Muhammad, was born. The birthday celebrations, known as Milad an Nabi, are commemorated all over the Muslim world with festivals, public holidays and mass seas of green and white colours being displayed prominently.

For over 30 years, Muslims throughout the borough have gathered annually to celebrate the blessed birth. Celebrating the annual Holy Procession this year, a faith parade was held, organised by the Rochdale Milad Committee, a collaborative of the town’s Sunni Sufi Mosques.

The parade began at Jamia Ghausia Mosque, Albion Road and made its way along Bury Road and College Road before concluding at Jamia Hedria Mosque on Mitchell Street. Despite the cold and damp weather, spirits were still high and hundreds of people joined the parade to mark the occasion.

Those in attendance included the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Mohammed Zaman, and his town centre chaplains, Reverend Mark Coleman and Imam Hassanat, along with Robin Parker, a member of Rochdale Multi-Faith Partnership, who shared the ‘All Faiths Together’ banner.

Imam Irfan Chishti MBE, Rochdale Milad Committee spokesperson said: “This year, with the presence of our non-Muslim friends, it brought the universal message of love and respect for all even more apparent.”

Chair of Rochdale Milad Committee and Chaplain to the Mayor, Imam Hasanat of Bilal Mosque, emphasised the importance of “showing love and sharing this with our wider community and friends.”